Top 10 Retirement Hot Spots Revealed

By Alana Stramowski | July 5, 2016

Home health providers may be busy in hot spots identified on a new list of best cities for retirement.

Aside from climate, some important factors that were used to determine which cities were best for aging include the cost and quality of health care, state tax rates, crime rate and how walkable the city is, according to a recent Bankrate article. These factors, among many others, were compared in nearly 200 U.S. cities to determine the top 10.

The top three cities on the list include West Des Moines, Iowa, Franklin, Tenn. and Arlington, Va., Bankrate found.

West Des Moines, Iowa came in third, mainly due to its affordability and safety. The city scored the highest in Bankrate’s top 10 list for best health care and the cost of living is about 10% below the national average, the article stated. There were also no murders in the city in 2014, which makes residents feel especially safe.

In second place, Franklin, Tenn., is located about 20 miles southwest of Nashville and offers a multitude of history lessons at its many Civil War sites. Franklin is also known for its health care, which costs less than the national average, but doesn’t skimp on quality. Another perk is that Tennessee has no state income tax, which can help keep costs in retirement lower.

Coming in first place as the best city for retirement is Arlington, Va., due to its small town feel and walkability. There is no need to have a car in Arlington, the article points out. The residents in the city scored high for overall well being, financial health and physical health. The city is also a short subway ride to the Washington, D.C.-area.

The cities that came in fourth through tenth as the best places to retire are:

4. Sarasota, Fla.

5. Scottsdale, Ariz.

6. Round Rock, Texas

7. Glendale, Calif.

8. Cape Coral, Fla.

9. Charleston, S.C.

10. Kendall, Fla.

All of these cities were found to give older residents a great quality of life, possibly due to the pleasant weather throughout the year.